• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

What Do We Do All Day logo

  • Start Here
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Books for kids
  • Games
  • Indoor activities for kids
  • Parenting
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Learn / Math Activities / Keeping a Ledger: Accounting for Kids

     

    Keeping a Ledger: Accounting for Kids

    969 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Keeping a ledger can teach kids basic accounting skills and a bit of economics. It is actually a fun and practical math activity for kids who love numbers.  My 6 year old keeps track of his savings and allowance easily by recording his earnings in a ledger book. I got the idea because one of the activity ideas in The Write Start (Affiliate link.) Have you got your copy yet? It's worth it. See my review of the book. was keeping a ledger book. So he's also getting some real-world writing skills, too.

    A ledger for kids is a fun way to learn accounting skills.

    I bought Kiddo a simple 8 column blank ledger book to keep track of how much money he had earned, and how much he had to spend, save or give. He loves to write in it, and I think he works harder to earn money just so he can write it down!

    You can also read my description of Kiddo's allowance system.which encourages him to save and give his money, as well as earning him some spending money.

    This post contains an affiliate link.

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    « Blow a Frozen Bubble
    How to Get Your 2 Year Old to Stop Whining »
    969 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joyful Learner says

      January 31, 2011 at 12:37 pm

      This is fabulous! Can you share this post on our math links? Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Raising a Happy Child says

      January 31, 2011 at 6:33 pm

      Your system makes a lot of sense to me - I wish we had a family pet. So far Anna displayed very little interest in earning money and she doesn't really ask for anything except chocolate - I suspect that this girl gets everything before she even gets a chance to know that she wants it.

      Reply
    3. aly in va says

      January 31, 2011 at 11:39 pm

      that is a practical idea indeed. I can't tell you how many folks I know who can't budget their checkbook....unfortunately myself too.

      Reply
    4. Joyful Learner says

      February 07, 2011 at 11:28 am

      Thanks for reposting this! We just collected red envelopes and I wrote it down on a checkbook.

      Reply
    5. Manav says

      August 14, 2015 at 6:54 pm

      Hi,
      My son is almost 6 yrs old and I have started to teach him basic accounting as well. I made a simple format on Excel and printed out some pages and made an accounting notebook out of it. He records everything he earns and everything he spends and also balances (adds or subtracts) after each transaction.
      I want to ask you about how your child/ren is doing with his accounting and if he uses the accounting skills when thinking about getting toys, candies, etc. Also, what changes did you make in your methods, if any?
      Thanks in advance on your feedback.

      Sincerely,
      Manav

      Reply
      • Erica MomandKiddo says

        August 20, 2015 at 9:37 am

        We still do the ledgers much like I describe in this post. It's been working well for us. He tends not to record his purchases any more, which I suppose he should do, but I let him handle it how he wants to.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Erica! I believe parents can stay sane without giving their kids an electronic device. Learn how!

    More about me →

    Newsletter

    Join over 15,000 subscribers who said "Yes! I want to unplug my kids!" We'll send you 10 waiting games your kids can play anytime, anywhere. Join here -->

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About the Site

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and join over 15,000 other families finding ways reduce screen time.

    Other Stuff

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Copyright © 2023 What Creative Media LLC

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you keep using this website we will assume you are OK with that. Read our privacy policy for more.OKRead more